WBEZ | baseball

Jackie Robinson's Chicago debut

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:00:00 -0500

With the new film 42 shaping up to be a critical and box office hit, Jackie Robinson is in the news. Today we’ll look at his first game in Chicago—May 18, 1947.

The Brooklyn Dodgers and Robinson were making their first swing through what were then the National League’s western cities. They arrived in Chicago with a 13-12 record, a game behind the Cubs.

May 18 was a Sunday. Two hours before the 1:30 p.m. starting time, Wrigley Field was filled. A crowd of 47,101 was on hand—the biggest since the Cubs had reconfigured the seating. About 10,000 more had been turned away.

“Only a giant shoe-horn plus a human potato masher could squeeze any more into the ball park,” the Chicago Sun said.

Robinson came into the game riding a 15-game hitting streak. The Dodger manager had said that his rookie first baseman was carrying the club. But Robinson could do nothing against three Cubs pitchers. He was blanked in four trips to the plate and was charged with an error in the field. The Dodgers won anyway, 4-2.

The big crowd was orderly, and there were no reported racial incidents. Through the years, a legend has come down that Robinson was booed in his Wrigley Field debut. If he was, it wasn’t mentioned in the contemporary press.

In fact, the only report of any booing was printed in the Defender—and that booing was directed at Dixie Walker, the Dodger teammate who’d opposed Robinson’s signing.

The Daily News interviewed Robinson about his first month in the major leagues. He said the sports writers had been generally supportive, and was even able to joke about the pressure he was under.

“They’ve talked about what a tough assignment I’ve been handed,” he said. “Well, if I don’t make the grade, then I’m all fixed up with a ready alibi—too much pressure.”

That was Jackie Robinson’s first game at Wrigley Field. His last was on August 30, 1956. And I was there.

I was 8 years old, and didn’t know it was going to be a historic occasion. The Dodgers were the defending world champions and were making their final visit of the season. Grandpa Price wanted to see the game and took me along.

By 1956 most major league teams had black players. The Cubs had Ernie Banks, Gene Baker, and Toothpick Sam Jones. To me, Robinson was just another guy on the other team. I don’t remember anything about the game, and had to look it up to find out that the Cubs won, 4-3. Robinson played second base and went 0-for-3.

Jackie Robinson died in 1972, at the age of 53. In 1997 his number “42” was officially retired by all major league teams.

City, Cubs push $500 million Wrigley renovation

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:09:00 -0500

The Chicago Cubs and the city have agreed on details of a $500 million facelift for Wrigley Field, including an electronic video screen that is nearly three times as large as the one currently atop the centerfield bleachers of the 99-year-old ballpark.

Under terms of the agreement, the Cubs would also be able to increase the number of night games at Wrigley Field from 30 to 40 — or nearly half the games played there each season. They would give Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts the ability to renovate the second-oldest park in the major leagues, boost business and perhaps make baseball's most infamous losers competitive again.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel hailed what the two sides called a "framework" agreement in a joint statement issued Sunday night, noting that it includes no taxpayer funding. That had been one of the original requests of the Ricketts family in a long-running renovation dispute that at times involved everything from cranky ballpark neighbors to ward politics and even the re-election campaign of President Barack Obama.

"This framework allows the Cubs to restore the Friendly Confines (of Wrigley) and pursue their economic goals, while respecting the rights and quality of life of its neighbors," Emanuel said.

Still uncertain was how the agreement will sit with owners of nearby buildings who provide rooftop views of the ball games under an agreement with the Cubs that goes back years. They have threatened to sue if the renovations obstruct their view, which they claim would drive them out of business.

On Monday, a spokesman for the rooftop owners said the group would have a statement later, but in the meantime referred the AP to the group's statement released earlier this month that says: "Any construction that interrupts the rooftop views will effectually drive them out of business and be challenged in a court of law."

The Cubs said the video screen they are proposing to build is 6,000 square feet, and would be built with "minimal impact on rooftops with whom (the) Cubs have an agreement." The current centerfield scoreboard is slightly more than 2,000 square feet; the Cubs also have plans to add a left-field sign of 1,000 square feet.

"Rooftop views are largely preserved," the team said in its announcement. "The Cubs have agreed to install only two signs in the outfield — a videoboard in left field and a sign in right field. This is far less than our original desire for seven signs to help offset the cost of ballpark restoration."

The signs offer the team a chance to reach new advertising deals and pay for the overhaul, even if it might change the character of the historic park. The city and club said they hope the agreement would allow the Cubs to obtain necessary city approvals for the work by the end of the current season.

The Ricketts family, which bought the Cubs in 2009 for $845 million, initially sought tax funding for renovation plans. With that out in the new agreement, the owners will seek to open new revenue streams outside the stadium. Under the agreement, the Ricketts family would be allowed to build a 175-room hotel, a plaza, and an office building with retail space and a health club, and provide 1,000 "remote" parking spots that will be free and come with shuttle service.

"We are anxious to work with our community as we seek the approvals required to move the project forward," Ricketts said in the statement.

The site of Babe Ruth's "called shot" home run in the 1932 World Series and more heartbreak than Cubs fans would like to remember, Wrigley Field is younger only than Boston's Fenway Park in the majors. It has long been a treasured showplace for baseball purists — night games were only added in 1988 — but team officials for years have desperately wanted a true upgrade, saying it costs as much as $15 million a year just to keep up with basic repairs.

The ballpark has also played no small part in the lore of the team, as fans were reminded April 10 when someone delivered a goat's head in a box addressed to Ricketts. Neither the team nor the Chicago Police Department have talked about a possible motive for the strange delivery, but as every fan knows it was in the 1945 World Series when a tavern owner arrived at the park with his pet goat — which had a ticket.

According to legend, the owner was told the goat smelled and was denied entry. The angry tavern owner then put the "Curse of the Billy Goat" on the Cubs — and the team has not been back to the World Series since. The last World Series championship for the Cubs came in 1908 — six years before Wrigley was built.

After failing to reach an agreement when Mayor Richard Daley was in office, the Ricketts family kept talking after Emanuel took office in 2011. But even presidential politics presented an obstacle for the plans at one point.

During the 2012 election, the patriarch of the Ricketts family, which created the TD Ameritrade brokerage firm, was considering a $10 million campaign against Obama that would refer to the racially incendiary sermons delivered by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright at a Chicago church the president once attended. J. Joseph Ricketts dropped the proposal, but the episode brought a huge dose of unwanted bad press and angered Emanuel, Obama's former White House chief of staff.

In recent weeks, fans also had to deal with the unlikely specter of the Cubs leaving Chicago. With the talks bogged down, the mayor of nearby Rosemont piped up, saying the village located near O'Hare International Airport would be willing to let the Cubs have 25 acres free of charge to build a replica of Wrigley Field.

Baseball honors Jackie Robinson

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:00:00 -0500

Baseball is a game of numbers, but today there is only one that is important: 42. Major League Baseball in 2004 designated April 15 as the annual celebration of Jackie Robinson’s first appearance as a Brooklyn Dodger.

Sixteen years ago, Robinson’s number was officially retired by the MLB. It's one of the most distinctive tributes to what he did for baseball and society. Part of the celebration includes all players, coaches and managers wearing the number 42 on their jerseys as all of baseball honors the man who bravely became the first African-American player in MLB.

Since the Cubs are off today, they will honor Robinson tomorrow night when they host the Texas Rangers. Two Hall of Fame Cubs will be part of pre-game ceremonies: Ernie Banks and Billy Williams. Banks was the first African-American to play for the Northsiders and considered Robinson as a mentor. Williams joined the major leagues shortly after Robinson and Banks.

Hollywood is also spotlighting Robinson with the recently released movie 42: The True Story of an American Legend.

It's not the first cinematic version of the icon's story. In 1950, Robinson starred in the biographical film, The Jackie Robinson Story. There have also been three television versions of his story and a Broadway production about his life and legacy. The timing of the recent biography will help younger generations be aware and informed about the difficulties that Robinson, and to some extent Dodger executive Branch Rickey, went through to break the color barrier in baseball. It was a defining moment not just for sports, but a reflection on the racial divide in America.

Cubs players Dave Sappelt, Scott Hairston and hitting coach James Rowson reflected on Robinson's legacy.

This is Sappelt’s first time celebrating Robinson in the major leagues. He recalled his grandparents telling him stories about the famed player. However, the Cubs outfielder remarked the sport's racial struggles lasted decades beyond that 1947 season. Sappelt believes wearing the 42 jersey will show appreciation to Robinson and the others who followed and played the game the right way under tremendous pressure.

Tomorrow will also be a first for Rowsan. In his first full season as a major league coach, Rowsan says wearing 42 is “a great level of honor.” Even though the league celebrates Jackie Robinson once a year, Rowsan says he and other African Americans celebrate everyday they step on a baseball field. Growing up in New York, he said he learned the lessons of that era from his father.

Hairston comes from a long line of baseball players. He and his brother Jerry Jr. followed in their father Jerry and Uncle John’s footsteps and they were preceded by Sam Hairston, who played in the Negro Leagues with Robinson. Hairston said Robinson may not have been the best player from the Negro League, but he was the best to withstand the challenges of breaking the color barrier. Hairston said it is “mind blowing” to think about Robinson being the only black player that first year.

As a young man, Hairston heard stories from his grandfather about the problems players in the Negro League dealt with on the road. Hotels often turned them away, forcing players to sleep on buses. But Hairston said his grandfather never lost the love for the game. And he says players should never lose that appreciation of what those players went through. With two young sons age 5 and 7, Hairston had murals of Sam Hairston in action painted on their bedroom walls. Tuesday night, Hairston says he will think of his grandfather as he and the rest of baseball honor Jackie Robinson.

Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CRayeStout and Facebook Cheryl Raye Stout #AtTheGame

Phil Cavarretta, hometown Cubs hero

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:00:00 -0500

Last week, for the White Sox opener, we talked about Johnny Mostil, a native Chicagoan who played his entire major league career in a Chicago uniform, and was also a Sox star. Today is the Cubs home opener. Today the subject is a Cubs star.

Phil Cavarretta was born twenty years after Mostil, in 1916. Unlike Mostil, he made it to the major leagues quickly. Phil was only 18, and a few months out of Lane Tech, when the Cubs signed him in 1934. In his first appearance at Wrigley Field, he hit a home run.

The next season Cavarretta became the Cubs’ regular first baseman. He developed into a solid left-handed hitter known for his hustling style of play. Injuries plagued him. Separate broken ankles kept him out of action for much of two seasons.

Cavarretta was rejected for World War II service because of a hearing problem. Now in his late 20s, he hit his playing peak. In 1944 he made the All-Star team for the first time. The next year was Cavarretta’s year.

In 1945 Cavarretta hit .355 to win the National League batting championship. He was named the league’s Most Valuable Player, and led his team into the World Series–the last time the Cubs made it that far. Though the team lost, Phil batted .423 for the seven games.

After the war ended, Cavarretta was named an All-Star twice more, showing he was more than a wartime flash. Meanwhile, the Cubs were going into a long decline. In 1951 team owner P.K. Wrigley made his most popular player the manager.

Cavarretta continued to play part-time. His record as a manager was mixed. Just before the start of the 1954 season, Wrigley fired him. Always honest, Cavarretta had told his boss that the team had no hope of making the first division.

But Cavarretta wasn't through. After 20 years with the Cubs, he now signed with the White Sox as a first baseman and pinch-hitter. He got into 71 games and hit .316. That proved to be his final spurt. Early in the 1955 season the Sox released him.

Cavarretta stayed in baseball another two decades, managing in the minor leagues, working as a hitting coach, and doing some scouting. He died in 2010 at the age of 94. At the time of his death he was the last major leaguer to have played against Babe Ruth.

Wrigley Field-Chicago's gem needs some polish

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 15:22:00 -0500

All the chatter surrounding the future of Wrigley Field is almost smothering Opening Day and the ballpark. Let the politicians, the Ricketts family and the neighborhood slug it out and figure the steps of what will happen to this iconic stadium next.

After this year the face lift will begin in earnest. It is needed and will be welcomed by players, managers and the media. There have been some subtle changes as the park nears its 100^th year, but it is still a place where the Cubs and the fans celebrate the game of baseball.

When the Chicago Tribune bought the team thirty years ago from the Wrigley family, they had a huge obstacle to face with their plans for the park. After a long, losing history, the Cubs made the 1984 playoffs, but the lack of lights became a rallying cry by team ownership. Major league baseball penalized the Cubs post season schedule against the San Diego Padres because they couldn't play night games. After the Illinois legislature finally gave the green light to the team, Wrigley Field finally turned on the lights in August, 1988. The first scheduled lit game was supposed to be August 8, 1988, but Mother Nature had her own idea, and rain postponed the game, so the actual first game under the lights was the next night, August 9th.

The uniqueness of this old ballpark is what makes it special to baseball fans, not just Cub fans. Boston’s Fenway Park is the only baseball stadium that shares similar feelings for its field, structure and surroundings. Having been to both venues, the “Friendly Confines” gets the nod from me. But only to watch the game, the amenities need to be replaced and upgraded. The very small locker room for both the home team and visitors is one of the toughest to navigate. A bad rain can cascade into the dugouts and into the Cubs locker room. The media room for interview sessions behind the dugout is very cramped. It was priceless when former Cub Lou Pinella stepped into the room for his first press conference there, he couldn’t believe it was that small. It was just one of many aspects of the old park he discovered would be an adjustment for him and any manager before and after.

Do you ever wonder why the managers are perched by the steps in the dugout? Their vision of the field is limited because of the deepness of the dugout.

The press box and broadcast booths are the smallest in all of the Major Leagues. It is always fun to hear the New York Yankee contingent come to Wrigley Field and complain about the working conditions and their seats. From their broadcasters to the working media, they gripe from the time they get there until the time they leave. Somehow they fault the Cubs staff for the conditions, and they think they can magically fix it.

These are some of the negative issues about Wrigley and there are more, but let’s not dwell on it.

Here are some of the positives, the big manual scoreboard, the green ivy on the brick wall and the closeness to the field. If you are lucky enough to sit in the first row near the bullpens or near the on-deck circle, you can have conversations with the players and the sometimes the manager. It is Gary Pressey playing the organ and the celebrity-led 7^th inning stretch (In my opinion, should be retired).

The bleachers are a special place in the ballpark and probably the most famous, as well as the favorite place for fans. You can rub elbows with regulars that have sat there for decades. Legendary broadcaster Harry Caray would broadcast from there. That area and the people that inhabited those seats were immortalized in the 1977 play, Bleacher Bums. Chicago native actor Joe Mantegna hatched the idea for the play and starred in the original production with another Chicagoan, Dennis Farina.

The Cub teams that have played year in and year out have not had the ultimate success at Wrigley. The last time they played in a World Series was 1945, and they lost, of course, to the Detroit Tigers. The famed 1969 team thrilled the Cub faithful throughout that year, only to fade at the end. Four members of that team made the Hall of Fame - Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins and Ron Santo. There were several other players that enjoyed great careers at Wrigley, most recently, Ryne Sandberg,Andre Dawson and Sammy Sosa come to mind. There hasn't been much of a post season throughout the last few decades, the 2003 season being the closest the team has come recently. Five outs away and the world stood still as a foul ball changed the complexion of that playoff series. Wrigley Field never felt so down.

Even after losing 100 games last season, the park is still a place for baseball fans to congregate. My dear friend, Sue, lives in England, and when she makes her way “over the pond," Wrigley Field is a coveted stop no matter how the team in playing.

Years ago I brought my favorite uncle to a game. I surprised him with a chance to go on the field and have his picture taken by team photographer Steve Green. Wrigley is one of the only places that can make grown people cry. My uncle certainly did that day.

It's Opening Day at Wrigley, with the Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers facing off this afternoon. I'll be there along with thousands of others.

Baseball's Opening Day is more than a game

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 06:00:00 -0500

Baseball's Opening Day is a very nostalgic day in sports. Baseball is a sport that you talk about the past almost as much as the present. If you are a White Sox fan, you are excited to see Chris Sale taking the mound this afternoon against the Kansas City Royals at US Cellular. Fans that cheer for the Cubs hope they see a better team on the field as they start on the road in Pittsburgh this year. Many people will take the time today to think about the first time they went to Wrigley Field or Comiskey Park (now US Cellular). Baseball is a sport that embodies memories past and recent; many families make their favorite team a part of their family legacy.

Maybe it was a father, mother, or a grandparent who instilled the love or probably a passion for the game and a team. People get engaged at baseball games. There is someone I know who will be asked today at the Sox game. Weddings have been performed at baseball stadiums. How many times have you heard about a bachelor party starting at either of Chicago's ballparks? U.S. Cellular provided the backdrop for the bachelor party for the movie, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and Cubs owner Tom Rickets met his wife in the Wrigley Field bleachers. People even scatter the cremated remains of their loved ones on the grass of their beloved ballparks. It isn’t an act condoned by teams, but somehow people try, especially when large groups get to march around the park, where Grandma or Grandpa's ashes may be secretly distributed .

Baseball and ballpark experiences have gone through many changes, some have been good and some have you missing the “good ole days” at Cubs and Sox games.

A favorite greeting as you walk into the park is from a vendor yelling, "Get your scorecards" it is the only sport that you buy a scorecard (and a pencil, of course). Sadly, you don't see as many people in the stands scoring at a ball game anymore. It is still done in the press box and the broadcast booth. Now you can go on the internet and have up-to-date scoring information. Years ago, score cards were your proof that you were at a game and if something special happened, such as a no-hitter or 20 K's by Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood, that card would be a treasured keepsake. I know several people who love the game so much they score games from home. Once I was preparing to broadcast a Sunday night sports talk show, and I scored a Sox-Baltimore game where Sox lefty Wilson Alvarez threw a no-hitter.

Baseball is one of the best radio sports that fill the airwaves, it is a sport that can be beautifully depicted by some of the best broadcasters. We know the names; Vince Scully, Ernie Harwell, Vince Lloyd, Bob Elson, John Rooney and Pat Hughes just to name a few. There is nothing better than taking a long drive with a baseball game playing on your car radio. In the past, transistor radios were the instrument of choice to listen to a ballgame, even while sitting in the stands. Now televisions are perched throughout ballparks, and people standing in a concession line can still see the action.

There are no longer scheduled double-headers, Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day were assured a double-dip of baseball. Who could forget Ernie Banks' famous line, "Let's play two." They still can happen because of a rain-out, but parks are now cleared after the first, so a paying crowd enters for the second.

Players salaries used to be unknown, most players had to work in the off-season since they were not making the millions they are in today's game. Now a player's salary gets as much attention as his stats.

Baseball may not be the same as it was ten, twenty or thirty years ago, but it is still a game of hitting, pitching and defense. For the sake of argument, let’s hope the steroid-era has passed. There is no doubt that modern medicine, with job saving procedures and fitness programs have allowed players to play baseball more fit and recover from injuries better.

Today is one of the best days in sports, in my opinion. It begins when the umpire says, “Play ball.”

Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CRayeStout and Facebook Cheryl Raye Stout #AtTheGame

Johnny Mostil, hometown Sox hero

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:00:00 -0500

Opening day at Sox Park!

At some time or another, most boys growing up around Chicago dream of playing for one of the hometown baseball teams. Few ever make it. Even then, the Chicagoans who do get to the big time usually wind up with other ball clubs

So today let's look at one of those rarities, a native Chicagoan who played his entire major league career in a Chicago uniform. He was Johnny Mostil--and he was a star, too.

Born in Chicago in 1896, Johnny was a boy when his family moved a few miles over the Indiana line to Whiting.

He started playing semi-pro baseball as a teenager, mostly as an infielder. During the war-year 1918 he signed with the Sox and got into a few games.

The war ended, the regulars returned, and Johnny went back to work at Montgomery Ward. Then the “Black Sox” scandal hit.

Eight Sox players were kicked out of baseball for throwing the World Series. Suddenly the team needed replacements. Mostil rejoined the Sox in 1921, this time for good.

By now he was an outfielder. Writers covering the team were impressed with his defensive skills, comparing him to the legendary Tris Speaker. Once Centerfielder Mostil managed to catch a fly ball in foul territory, something even Speaker never did.

He became one of the team’s most popular players. The people in Whiting were proud of him, and traffic on the South Shore Line spiked whenever Mostil and the Sox were playing at Comiskey. His former colleagues at Ward’s even staged a Johnny Mostil Day at the ballpark.

Mostil twice led the American League in stolen bases. He could hit, too–his batting average was usually over .300, peaking at .328 in 1926. That year he was runner-up for the league’s Most Valuable Player award.

The Sox were in spring training at Shreveport in 1927. On the morning of March 9, Mostil tried to commit suicide by slashing his chest and wrists with a razor. The team announced he was suffering from neuritis, and had endured constant headaches and sleepless nights. Insiders whispered that he was depressed over a shattered love affair.

Mostil recovered and came back late in the 1927 season. But he was never the same player. The Sox released him in 1929.

He later managed in the minor leagues, and eventually became a White Sox scout. Johnny Mostil died at his home in Midlothian in 1970.

Minnie Minoso’s first game

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 08:00:00 -0500

Baseball returns to the Windy City this week, even if spring weather has been slow in coming. Monday the White Sox take on the Kansas City Royals at the Cell. The Cubs open April 8 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

In honor of the occasion, let’s revisit another important day of firsts in Chicago baseball.

The date was May 1, 1951, and on that day 26-year-old Cuban third baseman Orestes Arrieta made his Major League Baseball debut at Comiskey Park. You may know him better, of course, by his American nickname: Minnie Minoso. And when Minoso stepped up to the plate that day he was doing more than playing ball: He was also breaking the color barrier. Minoso was the first black man to play for the White Sox.

In 2006, Minoso sat down with former WBEZ host Steve Edwards to reminisce about his career. He offered this account of that fateful day. You can listen in the audio above, or check out the transcript below:

For me, [my favorite on-field moment] was May 1, 1951.
I lived in 6409 [S.] Maryland [Avenue]. We went [to the game] by streetcar. I didn’t have a car; I had no money for a car.
When I stepped at the plate, [White Sox first baseman] Eddie Robinson called me up. I hit third, he hit fourth.
He said, “Eh, Minoso, do you know this guy?” It was [pitcher] Vic Raschi, number 17 – rest in peace, he died – for the New York Yankees.
I said, “No, I don’t know [him]. I’ve never faced [him].”
[Robinson] said, “Good fastball, good curveball, and pretty good slider. And he’s fast.”
But you know, I’m a funny guy. I look around. I don’t know [Yankees catcher] Yogi [Berra]. And I said, “This ugly man -- can he see?” [Editor’s note: Among Berra’s many famous quotes is this gem: “So I’m ugly. So what? I never saw anyone hit with his face.”]
And now Yogi gets up. “Hey, Minoso! You don’t know me. Why you call me ugly? My wife, she says I’m nice looking.”
I said, “Well, you’re lucky you’re married. I’m not married. My grandmother used to say I’m a good Indian guy, nice looking, but she died. And now nobody calls me nice looking anymore.”
So anyway, the umpire said, “You two get out of here.”
I said OK. I step on the plate. I say, "Eddie! I’m going to swing three, no matter what happens. If I miss it, then next time. If I make contact, I have a chance.”
I get up there, the way I used to hit it.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the first pitch!” [says the announcer over the loudspeaker.]
I get prepared. I’m swinging! And I run like a deer to first base. And the umpire says like that [makes a gesture] but I don’t know whether [Yankees outfielder] Mickey Mantle had caught it.
And what I said I don’t want to repeat. I said, “Did this son-of-a-gun catch it?” [The umpire] said, “No, it’s a home run!”
I slow down. I’m passing second base. I come home. The people shake my hand.
That was a great day – and a beginning. Because I was the first black player in the city and the first one for the Sox. The first one! And the first pitch! I hit it in the bullpen – 439 feet.
I never dreamed it. I used to weigh 176 lbs.
I have this ball. This guy caught it, and I still have this ball at my house.

Dynamic Range showcases hidden gems unearthed from Chicago Amplified’s vast archive of public events and appears on weekends. Minnie Minoso spoke at an event presented by the Chicago History Museum in October of 2006. Click here to hear the event in its entirety.

Robin Amer is a producer on WBEZ’s digital team. Follow her on Twitter @rsamer.

What does 2013 look like for the Cubs and White Sox?

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 06:00:00 -0500

Both the White Sox and the Cubs have left Arizona and played their final spring training games. Opening Day is Monday with all its splendor and hopes that the day brings for baseball fans. Here are some news and notes about the impending 2013 season.

New Faces for the Cubs

The one major free agent signing by the Cubs was often-traded pitcher Edwin Jackson. The 29-year-old right hand starter inked a 4-year, $54 million contract. Jackson had “a cup of coffee” with the White Sox a few years ago and will pitch plenty of innings for second year manager Dale Sveum.

Veteran Japanese closer Kyuji Fujikawa will be part of the bullpen. The Cubs signed the 32-year old pitcher for need and to possibly replace Carlos Marmol if he is traded. Of course, if the team tanks this year, Fujikawa may have trade value at the deadline.

In right field, the Cubs brought in Nate Schierholtz with a one year deal. He played for Philadelphia and San Francisco.

The Cubs also signed a few veterans to the pitching staff: Scott Baker (former Twin), Carlos Villanueva (former Blue Jay/Brewer) and Scott Feldman (former Ranger). Baker’s surgically repaired elbow flared up in his first spring training appearance. The Cubs are expected to shut him down for at least a month. Feldman was a reliever that converted to a starter six years ago.

Trying to stabilize the young starting catcher Welington Castillo, the Cubs brought in eight-year veteran Dioner Navarro.

Cubs departures

It was sayonara to Bryan LaHair. Last year he was an All-Star player who lost his starting job to Anthony Rizzo. He is now in Japan. The team also parted ways with third base coach Pat Listach.

Front and center for the Cubs

Wrigley Field issues will loom over this team until an agreement is made between the team, neighborhood and the city.
On the field, the Cubs will try to avoid a hundred losses and continue the path to success with young players in the Cubs' minor leagues. Darwin Barney’s play at second earned him a Gold Glove in 2012; shortstop Starlin Castro hopes to improve on his defense too.
The Cubs front office signed many stop gap players to try to have a competitive team.
Despite what his critics think, Alfonso Soriano has proven to be a leader and did produce very solid numbers at the plate.
The star in the making is first baseman Anthony Rizzo. He has all the tools.
Pitcher Matt Garza strained his left side but is expected to improve soon. Garza could be an important to help the club on the mound or a deal.
Opening Day starter Jeff Samardzija needs to remain consistent.
Unfortunately for the Cubs this year, Houston is now in the American League. The NL Central cellar may be where the Cubs may finish.

New Faces for the White Sox

The biggest change came in the front office. Rick Hahn is now the team’s general manager as Ken Williams moves up the ladder. Hahn didn’t make any wholesale moves. He did re-sign Jake Peavy to an extension. To fill a hole left by the departure of Kevin Youkilis (we barely got to know you), Hahn signed former Tampa Bay third baseman Jeff Keppinger to a three-year deal. He is a career .288 hitter. Keppinger makes contact and does not strike out. He is just getting back into action after injuring his shoulder during training camp.

Just before spring training, the Sox acquired 25-year-old third baseman Conor Gillespie from San Francisco. He has been fighting all spring to make the roster.

One more new face with the Southsiders is actually a familiar face: Bobby Thigpen. The former White Sox closer has been working with the minor league teams. He will now handle the bullpen duties after Juan Nieves departed to become the Red Sox pitching coach.

White Sox departures

Catcher and most hated player in baseball, AJ Pierzynski is now a Texas Ranger. Phillip Humber (remember he had a perfect game) pitches for Houston and third baseman Kevin Youkilis signed with the New York Yankees (not a big loss since he really didn’t want to be here).

Front and center for the White Sox

Last year under rookie manager Robin Ventura the team flourished and was competitive all year. The club ran out of gas, they had many young inexperience players that were tired at season’s end. Also a so-so bench hurt them.
Alejandro DeAza developed into a nice lead-off hitter and played well in center field.
The young guns in the bullpen were a real strength: Nate Jones, Hector Santiago and Addison Reed. They learned quickly in the majors. With Matt Thorton, Matt Lindstrom and Jesse Crain (he is dealing with right adductor strain) the bullpen can be one of the best.
John Danks will begin the season on the DL as he continues to recover from his shoulder surgery.
Dylan Axelrod will be given an opportunity in the rotation.

If Jake Peavy, pitching phenom Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Gavin Floyd (and eventually Danks) stay healthy and produce, the Sox have a chance in the competitive AL Central. The bats of Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko and Alex Rios must anchor the offense. AJ’s replacement Tyler Flowers is a better receiver behind the plate, it is yet to be determined if he can produce at the plate.

The White Sox may be bridesmaids to the Detroit Tigers again, but they should be a factor.

Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CRayeStout and Facebook Cheryl Raye Stout #AtTheGame

Is it time to rethink Wrigley's 7th inning stretch routine?

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 06:00:00 -0600

Does anyone really care who is singing the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley anymore? The Cubs think the fans care. But I have yet to hear one person say they are going to Wrigley for the stretch.

When Harry Caray sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" it was part of the experience at Clark and Addison. Now you get the occasional interesting celebrity, former player or coach to belt out the baseball tune. Sometimes a performance gets national attention. W(ho could forget Mike Ditka’s rendition in 2008?) In between, there are many uninteresting performers.

The club says it is going to be more selective about who gets in the booth for the 81 home games. The singer will have connections to the city and be more familiar with the Cubs and the Harry Caray tradition.

Will the possible candidates have to take a test, or maybe a Cubs 101 class? (Not because of the 101 losses). Can you imagine if you don't pass the class or fail the test? That would be full humiliation. But then again, some of the singing that has gone on in the booth can embarrass them too.

What questions should a potential 7th inning stretch candidate answer?

- Can you name the beer that Harry Caray endorsed?

- Can you name the Cubs Opening Day starting line-up for either the 1969 or the 2008 teams?

- Can you produce at least ten ticket stubs or scorecards for games you have attended?

- If you don't have the items from #3, how about getting a sworn affidavit from family or from bars around Wrigley that you are indeed a fan?

- Do you own at least one worn-out Cubs hat, shirt or jacket?

- Do you proof of having a Chicago residency for more than a year?

- What does it mean when the “L” sign is hoisted in the outfield? (Any true Cub fan would know that answer.)

Of course, a shoo-in for a singing spot would be reciting all the present Cub players’ names backwards. That would fulfill the team’s allegiance requirement and prove someone really knows the Caray legacy.

Sitting in the press box over the years, I've seen the various people practice with organist Gary Pressy, autograph various Cubs items and then give a good-bad-or indifferent performance. It seems the indifference is the most bothersome, that is where a Cubs fan may take issue. The faithful are sitting in the stands, year after year, and they care. Cubs fans enjoyed Harry Caray doing the stretch because he related to them and he cared. So when anyone that has the opportunity to be in the spotlight for the 7^th inning fans want them to care too.

I wouldn’t mind if it was just a damn good singer that the crowd wants to hear. Hey, Justin Bieber will be in Chicago during a homestand in July. I’ll go for that.

It would be nice if some of the usual Chicago celebrities would retire from this gig. (John Cusack and Jim Belushi are two that come to mind.) One of my favorite renditions happens during the final home game when the grounds crew sings.

And how about giving some kids a chance? They don’t need to be in the booth for an interview. Just a few minutes to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and have a crowd join them. Maybe that doesn’t sell sponsorships, but it would make some new young fans. Isn’t that what baseball is supposed to be about?

Maybe it is time to retire this tradition altogether. What do you think?

Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CRayeStout and Facebook Cheryl Raye Stout #AtTheGame